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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 12,694 Likes: 12
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 12,694 Likes: 12 |
I never wanted to go thinking it's just not my thing. I had a great time and really enjoyed it. Get the headphones for walking around. You will get a lot more info about the place that way. Wait till you see the "den". I spotted a mannlicher schoenauer in the gun cabinet. The library is fantastic. I really liked the servants areas and the kitchen downstairs. The built in pool was pretty amazing as was the gym.
My family and I stayed in a cabin not too far from there at a very reasonable rate and even did a horseback ride near there. Lots of deer on the property too. Headphones are a necessity. No doubt about it. And the mannlicher? Wow. I leaned as far as I could across the Dutch door into the den and slobbered all over the floor. That gun cabinet was something. Something else I learned in a side tour concerned the electrical wiring. At the time of construction it was not yet determined whether AC or DC would be adopted as standard in the industry. That being the case the mansion was wired for both. When you consider the enormity of the structure, the number of rooms involved and the state of the industry at the time that was quite a decision to make. Another tidbit of information concerned the bathroom plumbing. They had early flush toilets but not plumbed sinks. Seems it was only proper for servants to bring fresh water to the occupant for washing. Aristocratic don't you know.
“When Tyranny becomes Law, Rebellion becomes Duty”
Colossians 3:17 (New King James Version) "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him."
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 169
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 169 |
If you have a canoe go in the summer, you can put in on the French Broad River at Bent Creek and paddle right on through, for free.
Well you need to bring a sammich, they won't feed you, but Ingles is way cheaper than the carriage house food.
Place is pretty awesome and to anyone who digs architecture and/or history it's worth going, at least once.
-Brian- Whatever you do, do well.
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 67,551 Likes: 68
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 67,551 Likes: 68 |
BTDT, the winery tour too, I skipped the flower gardens, the ice cream was good there too (biltmore dairy). Then I did 6 mile paddle trip the french broad river the next day.
it's a go if you're in the area
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,296
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,296 |
Wife drug me there a couple of years ago and I actually ended up enjoying it quite a bit. Asheville is a pretty place and has a chitload of good restaurants in every price range. The restaurant at the Farmer's Market is great for lunch. John
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,416
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 2,416 |
Great place to visit and even after quite a few tours of Biltmore there is still much more to know. Asheville is a great place to visit with excellent fly fishing in the area.
SCI Life Member DAV Life Member NRA Life Member North American Hunt Club Life Member
Your true character shows in your conduct
You cannot solve a problem at the same level of awareness that created it - Einstein
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,891
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,891 |
Cool place, was there in 2013
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 8,741
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 8,741 |
It is interesting to see what was built, in the time it was built, and with the technology at the time. Take the behind the scenes tour (extra) and see the inner workings of the place Beautiful country and lots of other things in the area.
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 13,234
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 13,234 |
Biltmore is fantastic. Do NOT arrive mid-afternoon because that won't give you enough time. Seriously, make sure you're there in the morning and plan on taking or buying lunch there. The wine is not great, regardless of what RWE thinks. But it's fun to take the wine tour.
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,180 Likes: 2
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 4,180 Likes: 2 |
The Biltmore House is well worth the time to visit. I've been a couple of times and would go back in a second. I haven't been able to get a look into what one of the guides called the gun room yet. Supposedly it is off the great dining room and was a room the gents retired to after dinner for smokes and drinks. I'm not sure about that but that was the story I was told. If it is anything like the rest of the house, it will be awesome.
Asheville, NC is noted for its craft breweries too. There are 21 different craft breweries in the Asheville area. If you like good beer, you can find it in Asheville and timing the visit to the Biltmore with their Annual Craft Beer Week might be worth looking into.
Harry
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 17,147 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 17,147 Likes: 2 |
Yep. If you go check out the side tours they do. One we went on dealt with the architecture. We ended up in attic areas, on the upper roof dormers, in the basement areas, etc. Also there is a tour of the service areas; kitchen, laundry, servants qtrs, etc. Been there a couple of times and enjoyed it all. A great time to go is in November when it's decorated for Christmas. Very impressive. All this. Well worth the time and if you do the extra tours it will take all day at the house. We stayed here http://www.bohemianhotelasheville.com and would do it again.
If something on the internet makes you angry the odds are you're being manipulated
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 33,971
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 33,971 |
Family has lots of mountain property 5 minutes from Biltmore. Been in the tree for well over 220 years. All my kin before me were raised in the area mountains and grew up on the grounds of the estate and the town of Biltmore. My Grandfather ran the downtown Army-Navy Store so deep roots and great memories.
Having said the above, I highly recommend the trip. Should you decide to go I can send you a list of things to see and do. 60 miles down the road is Greenville, which is also a great little town to visit.
FWIW the highest point on the East Coast is about 45 minutes from Asheville. Big mountains!! David
Proud to be a true Sandlapper!!
Go Nats!!!!
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Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 351
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 351 |
BTDT, the winery tour too, I skipped the flower gardens, the ice cream was good there too (biltmore dairy). Then I did 6 mile paddle trip the french broad river the next day.
it's a go if you're in the area Bull to the Shiit! Ain't no way your tightass dropped the coin to do any of the above mentioned things. You eat Baloney and frozen pizzas on vacation.
"I'll beg to differ, sir. We started a game we never got to finish. Play for blood, remember?" Doc Holliday
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 15,939 Likes: 1
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 15,939 Likes: 1 |
Go during the Christmas holidays. It is decorated for the seasons. This. It's simply incredible to see and the Christmas decorations are over the top.
There are 2 rules to success:
1. Never tell everything that you know.
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 5,750
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 5,750 |
A BIG YES!! They do a special Christmas package. Anytime is a good time...Christmas is very nice. I've been 5 times. I'm about ready to go again. The estate is in continual renovation. Every several years new wings or rooms are opened up. The fireplace is awesome. The library is extensive...rivaling college libraries. I think the gentleman had and read volumes in 9 different languages. If you go, take one of the guided back-stage tours. They will point out lots of interesting facts and details in the structure that one would never have noticed the significance.
Did I say It is a great visit?
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Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,933
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 2,933 |
Biltmore is nice, been there several times,,,,, side tour of the roof is good, winery is good,,, just roaming the grounds is good you need a couple of days to really soak it in
Location Western NC, after alot of other places
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 5,750
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 5,750 |
I agree about the roof tour. Can you imagine what that placed must have looked like when first finished with its sandstone white walls, royal blue slate rood, and gold plated trim?
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Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 955
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 955 |
I was there in the early 1950's and it was impressive. I remember the huge pipe organ they had. I also seem to remember it was a working farm at the time and they made ice-cream that was delicious, but any teenager would like fresh ice cream. I can't imagine what kind of tourist enterprise it is today.
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 213
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 213 |
My wife and I went last October. It was really interesting. I too was drooling at the glimpse into the gun room. What I picked up on was that what's there now is only a token amount of the firearms that were there in it's heyday! Next time I'll want to take one of the more 'in depth' tours.
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 169
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 169 |
I agree about the roof tour. Can you imagine what that placed must have looked like when first finished with its sandstone white walls, royal blue slate rood, and gold plated trim? Not just that, but can you also imagine standing on the deck and knowing that when you looked in any direction you owned all the land you saw. IIRC over 125k acres early on. Eventually most of it got sold off, what remains is a small fraction of the original estate.
-Brian- Whatever you do, do well.
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 67,551 Likes: 68
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 67,551 Likes: 68 |
I agree about the roof tour. Can you imagine what that placed must have looked like when first finished with its sandstone white walls, royal blue slate rood, and gold plated trim? Not just that, but can you also imagine standing on the deck and knowing that when you looked in any direction you owned all the land you saw. IIRC over 125k acres early on. Eventually most of it got sold off, what remains is a small fraction of the original estate. In 1914, Edith Vanderbilt sold approximately 86,700 acres of the estate’s forested mountain land, known as Pisgah Forest, to the federal government, creating the Pisgah National Forest.
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